The most sustainable and ethically responsible containers
Making the most ethically responsible and sustainable containers in the world
As we grow and invest, we must do so in a way that continues reducing the overall impact of our manufacturing processes. For us, sustainability does not only mean reducing our carbon footprint, although this is an essential element. Rather, we see sustainability as a compilation of four basic principles built around our People, Populations, Planet and Prosperity.
4P Sustainability strategy
Glass made good
At Vidrala, we believe that having a sustainable business model has a direct impact on our social, environmental, and economic positioning. Therefore, for many years now, sustainability has been at the core of our operations. Sustainability may be a broad concept. But for Vidrala, everything we do - from the way we manufacture our glass containers to the transportation methods we choose, including how we act as individuals - is linked to our four pillars as a responsible company: Prosperity, People, Planet and Populations.
Sustainable Development
Sustainable Development Goals
The SDGs complement the 4P strategy, ensuring their alignment with the UN’s plan to attain a better, fairer, and more sustainable future. Below, we highlight the most relevant goals in our strategy:
SDG9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
To face the challenges of the future and making sure we have a resilient infrastructure for the future, we have invested in incorporating innovating manufacturing equipment and alternative energy solutions into our activity. Developing sustainable industrial processes and incorporating clean technologies, such as electrostatic precipitation systems, will contribute to ensuring our sustainability in the long term.
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
Accelerating the use of renewable energies is key to facing the climate crisis, especially in industries that consume a lot of energy, as is the case of glass containers manufacturing. Therefore, we are committed to incorporating renewable energies into our industrial processes and also to improving our energy efficiency.
SDG13 Climate Action
The impact of climate change is already being seen and will worsen if appropriate measures are not taken. Reducing our carbon footprint and minimising our climate impact are key for us. We have therefore invested in more energy-efficient furnaces, and also in switching to renewable energy sources to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. We have also recently presented a goal in line with the ambition to limit global warming to levels below 1.5 ºC to be validated by the Science-based Targets initiative (SBTi).
SDG5 Gender Equality
Maximising gender equality opportunities in the manufacturing industry is an important goal. We are committed to driving the hiring, training, development and professional career of both women and men in manufacturing positions and believe that by doing so, we are a stronger and more resilient organisation.
SDG12 Responsible Consumption and Production
The efficient use of natural resources and investing in new technologies to improve our sustainable glass packaging production methods is key. We work with organisations to increase the quantity and quality of recycled glass. This reduces our demand for new natural resources, minimising waste and contributing to a more circular economy.
SDG8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
We recognise the importance of sustainable economic development and creating high-quality working conditions for our staff. We are committed to offering our employees satisfactory full-time job positions, with a set of employee benefits and we drive a healthy work-life balance.
SDG15 Life on Land
Protecting our planet is one of our company's key values. We try to preserve natural resources, where possible, and also to contribute to developing and promoting biodiversity.
SDG4 Quality Education
Providing quality education is key to creating a peaceful and prosperous world. Education offers people the knowledge and skills they need to stay healthy, get a job and promote tolerance.
Prosperity
Our long-term success as a company is closely linked to sustainability. When working in accordance with our national and international environmental commitments, we reduce wastage to a minimum and maximise opportunities, while becoming an attractive sustainable company for investors. This means we can continue reinvesting in our plants, creating a virtuous business model, conducive to a truly circular economy.
People
The people working at Vidrala are a key asset and driving their development is essential for our growth as a sustainable company. We are committed to supporting the well-being and health of our employees and to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Planet
We pride ourselves on placing sustainability at the core of our operations: from our products to transportation, we are responsible for investing in an eco-friendlier future. As a company, we are always looking to go further and to find new ways of having a positive impact on the planet.
Place
Vidrala plants are located throughout Europe. The communities around us support us on a daily basis and many of our employees call these places home. Therefore, it is important to give something back and work with clients and ethical suppliers, to continue our positive impact as job creators with whom local people feel proud to live.
Download our sustainability report to find out more
Our ambition: to create the first zero-emission glass containers
Science-Based Targets (SBT) have been approved. We have the most ambitious targets in the category, ensuring that the organisation acts in a way that contributes to preventing planet temperature from increasing more than 1.5 ºC compared to pre-industrial levels.
Resources
At Vidrala, we consider it essential to ensure the sustainable development of our business, and this means focusing on people and the environment, going beyond short-term solutions.
Environment
Recycling glass containers is a simple process. Bottles and jars that are manufactured in the glass production plant are transported towards the bottling site where they are filled in with food or liquid products.
Certificates
Vidrala Group has certified management systems that guarantee our glass manufacturing for food packaging in terms of safety, legallity & inocuity, in a safe and healthy way for our people and with a responsible environmental behaviour.
We believe that to work comfortably and give our best, we must live better. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits and professional development opportunities. Caring for the professionals who make up Vidrala is one of our top priorities. We are committed to things that matter.
Equality, diversity, and inclusion are integral to our People pillar and are essential for our company's success. We are committed to creating equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of gender, race, nationality, personal beliefs, marital status, or health. We embrace a diverse and inclusive workforce that recognizes the unique strengths each employee brings. As a company, we understand that we are more productive, creative, innovative, and ultimately more sustainable with greater diversity.
A pesar de operar en un sector históricamente dominado por hombres, seguimos firmemente comprometidos con la diversidad de género y la mejora de la representación de las mujeres en toda nuestra empresa. Por ello, Vidrala ha lanzado un proyecto denominado “Women in Manufacturing” con el objetivo de seguir impulsando la integración de la mujer en la organización.
While professional development is important, safeguarding the health and well-being of our collaborators is also an absolute priority. A stable and high-quality working environment is essential. Out of our workforce of over 3,600 people, 94% work full-time with indefinite contracts.
A fundamental pillar of our health and well-being program is building a sustainable workforce through policies designed to promote and facilitate a healthy work-life balance and support mental health.
Increasing the percentage of electricity we derive from fully renewable sources is a top priority. That's why we've intensified our efforts to develop on-site renewable electricity through photovoltaic solar energy projects.
As part of our efforts to reduce our environmental impact in this area, we employ trucks certified to the latest EURO6 standards, resulting in a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Natural gas burns much cleaner than traditional fuels, resulting in a 50-60% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions on each journey.
In September 2022, at our Castellar del Vallés plant in Barcelona, we closed an agreement with Linde Material Handling to replace the thermal forklifts currently operating in the finished product warehouse with electric forklifts. These electric forklifts will have the highest level of energy efficiency. This means that in Castellar, we will have a 100% electric internal fleet in the first quarter of 2023, reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 300 tons.
We consider it our responsibility to lead our industry and contribute to creating a better world for future generations. To drive positive change, we ensure that our operations and the products and services we offer to the market have a positive social, economic, and environmental impact, resulting in a positive global impact on the world.
In November 2022, the Vidrala Group reached an agreement with Accolade Wines to acquire "The Park," a bottling and storage facility in Bristol, United Kingdom. We anticipate that this new agreement will be a step towards a more sustainable future for the British beverage industry.
We will acquire The Park facilities, including the logistical infrastructure, which contributes to ensuring we can provide efficient service and secure a sustainable supply chain across the UK beverage market
To ensure responsible leadership and transparency, it's crucial to introduce proper governance into our businesses, markets, and the community at large. Responsible leadership is the key to ensuring the long-term success of our company, both for us and for the various stakeholders.
In 2022, over a hundred students from the Basque Country participated in an event held at the University of Deusto to promote science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths (STEAM) vocations among students. Accompanying these young individuals were around twenty professionals from the fields of science and technology, representing leading companies in the Basque Country, including Vidrala, who provided guidance to students on their career options.
In 2022, the Vidrala Group organized and participated in beach clean-up activities in Portugal. The goal was to recognize the importance of biodiversity and ensure that measures are taken to support contributions to biodiversity in local communities.
59 employees and volunteers from Santos Barosa Vidros joined forces with One Piece After Another to collect 350 kg of marine litter, including fishing ropes and microplastics washed up on the shore. Local community participation, including the efforts of the Pataias local council, was crucial in helping collect and properly dispose of the litter.
The Vidrala Group acknowledges the importance of protecting and promoting biodiversity in all our operations and value chain. Biodiversity provides humans with raw materials for consumption and production, supports the functioning of ecosystems that provide clean air and water—essential for our survival, pollinates plants, and offers many recreational benefits from being in nature. We are committed to participating in partnerships and creating new initiatives related to biodiversity in the future.
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